Premature obituaries for populism
It is too soon to conclude that the wave that began in 2016 with Trump and Brexit has subsided
It is too soon to conclude that the wave that began in 2016 with Trump and Brexit has subsided

On birth rates, the lockdown and above all Brexit, the right is out of touch with the public

It is not too late to reverse bad policy but that requires good governance

History suggests the political approach ends in unsustainable debt and lower GDP

Political pressure in response to public anxiety will demand policy responses

New insights into motivation and strength of feeling could help democracy work better

To decide whether official statistics are useful, look at what happens when they disappear